Author John McGrath of the new book, It's All Part of the Alpine Experience, writes a chapter about his stay at the Belvedere.
He writes,
"There are many people who warrant a mention and at the top of my list is American Mark. Put him in an Italian suit and he would look and sound like a character out of the Good Fellas. Mark, as far as I know, is the world's oldest living ski bum. Mark was renowned in the valley for his crazy straight lining - simply pointing your skis downhill and skiing a straight line the entire length of the ski slope.... It would be hard to meet a more passionate skier anywhere."
Most of my conversations with Mark are about skiing, cycling, our boss, and whats on sale at the grocery store. He took a bad wipe out straight lining last month, breaking both skies, both poles, goggles, and his glasses. He came in that morning with half his face covered in red rash but he was out skiing the next day. He's sixty years old but has the flexibility of someone much younger.
